This was worse than before. The truth had been put into the light slowly back home, but here everything was going to come out fast, like blood pouring from an open wound. And Tate still wasn't any more prepared for the consequences. The silence of her staying away from him was a biting, tearing hurt, but he thought that this, this could easily be worse than the empty spaces.
He could not chase the flinch away, the outward chill that went down his spine. Suddenly, he felt cold and scared and overwhelmed by guilt. Tate's hand fell away from hers and recoiled back to his own side. Shaking and cold, he got to his feet and backed himself up against the nearest wall. His face tear streaked, his eyes wide and dark and glued to Violet, he opened his mouth and answered her.
"Your parents are dead, Violet. Your mother died in childbirth and your father was killed by Hayden. And you have a new brother who is never going to grow up or go to school or walk or do much of anything." Tate took a breath. Another breath that wasn't necessary.
She didn't deserve this. He felt like was he killing her. But he kept talking anyway. "I'm a murderer, Violet. I killed my classmates and I killed that gay couple who lived in the house before you did. And I set my mother's boyfriend on fire and I'm the reason your mother is dead."